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US Medicine · 2027 Entry

CU Anschutz Medical Campus (MD) Medical School2027 Entry Requirements & Interview Format

Location Aurora, CO, United StatesEstablished 1883Interviews September–JanuaryDecisions March 30 (AAMC standard)

Photo: Zereshk · CC BY-SA 3.0

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Overview

About CU Anschutz Medical Campus (MD)

The University of Colorado School of Medicine, located at the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, is the only public medical school in Colorado and one of the largest research medical schools in the Rocky Mountain region. Founded in 1883, the school is affiliated with UCHealth, Children's Hospital Colorado, and the Denver VA Medical Center. CU Med is a major NIH-funded research institution with particular strengths in cancer biology, cardiology, paediatrics, and high-altitude physiology.

What makes it different

CU Med benefits from the Anschutz Medical Campus, one of the largest academic medical center complexes in the Western US. The school has a nationally recognized high-altitude medicine program, uniquely positioned given Colorado's geography. Rural medicine tracks offer training in Western frontier communities with limited physician access. Children's Hospital Colorado affiliation provides extraordinary paediatric training opportunities.

Course & teaching

Integrated curriculum. 4-year MD. The Foundations of Medicine block (Year 1) integrates basic science with clinical context. Year 2: advanced organ-system blocks. Years 3–4: core clinical rotations at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital, Children's Hospital Colorado, Denver Health, Denver VA, and affiliated rural sites. Scholarly concentration available in several tracks including global health, rural medicine, and research.

Research strengths

CU Anschutz Medical Campus (MD) has notable research strength in Cancer biology and oncology, Cardiovascular disease, Paediatric medicine, High-altitude physiology, Infectious disease.

Interview

CU Anschutz Medical Campus (MD) interviews via MMI (8 stations, in person at the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora). CU School of Medicine runs an 8-station MMI at the Anschutz Medical Campus, with each station lasting approximately 8 minutes. Stations assess ethical reasoning, communication, professionalism, and health-systems thinking, often framed in the context of Rocky Mountain and rural Western US healthcare challenges. Applicants receive a brief written prompt outside each door before entering. The interview day includes a campus tour of the Anschutz Medical Campus, an informational session from admissions, and informal time with current students.

Intake

Approximately 182 students per year.

At a glance

Founded in 1883, based in Aurora, CO. Programmes offered: Cancer Biology, Cardiology, Paediatrics, High-Altitude Physiology, Rural Medicine.

Entry requirements

What you need to apply to CU Anschutz Medical Campus (MD)

Admission overview
Bachelor's degree and MCAT required. Colorado residents receive strong preference as the only public medical school in the state. Research, clinical, and community service experience expected. Applications via AMCAS; secondary required.
MCAT median
517 (range 512–522)
GPA median
3.78 overall / 3.75 science (BCPM)
Acceptance rate
4.5%
Class size
182
In-state preference
Strong — primarily in-state
In-state matriculants
51%
CASPer
Required
AAMC PREview
Not required
Holistic review emphasis
Colorado public mission, rural medicine, research, diversity, and holistic review of service and character.
Notes
Estimates from public AAMC FACTS / AACOMAS / ADEA AADSAS / class-profile; verify current cycle.
Specialities offered
Cancer Biology, Cardiology, Paediatrics, High-Altitude Physiology, Rural Medicine
Interview

How CU Anschutz Medical Campus (MD) interviews applicants

Format
MMI (8 stations, in person at the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora)
Interview window
September–January
Decision date
March 30 (AAMC standard)
Tutor insight
CU Med's MMI often features scenarios tied to rural Western healthcare access, outdoor and occupational medicine, and the distinctive health challenges of a high-altitude mountain state. Colorado residency is a significant advantage — the school has a statutory preference for Colorado applicants. Out-of-state applicants need strong academic credentials and ideally a connection to rural or mountain community medicine. The Anschutz campus is a vibrant research and clinical hub — demonstrate genuine enthusiasm for the collaborative research environment if applying with research goals.
Practice

Practise for your CU Anschutz Medical Campus (MD) interview

PrometheusQuestion Bank621 medicine questions inside

Interview questions matched to CU Anschutz Medical Campus (MD)

Two questions our tutors flagged as a strong fit for CU Anschutz Medical Campus (MD)’s interview style. Try answering them out loud, then open Prometheus for the model answers and follow-up tips.

MediumPanelQ1

Holistic Review: Career Change and Mature Applicant

You spent 12 years as a software engineer at a healthcare technology company before applying to medical school at age 36. Your career gave you deep expertise in electronic health records, clinical data systems, and interoperability challenges. A classmate suggests you could have more impact on healthcare by staying in tech than by becoming a physician. How do you respond, and what has drawn you to direct patient care over a career in health technology?

Likely follow-up · How will your technology background distinguish your contributions to medical school and to clinical practice?

3 expert tips in Prometheus
MediumPanelQ2

Service Orientation: Implicit Bias Training and Self-Reflection

You complete an Implicit Association Test as part of a pre-medical course and discover that you have an implicit bias associating Black individuals with negative concepts and white individuals with positive ones. You are troubled by this result and uncertain how to interpret it. How do you process this finding, and what concrete steps do you take to ensure that your implicit biases do not harm future patients?

Likely follow-up · What is the difference between implicit bias and explicit racism, and why does the distinction matter for clinical behaviour?

3 expert tips in Prometheus
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CU Anschutz Medical Campus (MD) — frequently asked questions

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